Comments for blog.mikehillwig.comhttp://blog.mikehillwig.com
Because you're entitled to my opinionFri, 28 Oct 2011 18:58:15 +0000hourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.8Comment on Infrequent Flyer 1/14: Airlines are Businesses… Trying to Make Money by Drewhttp://blog.mikehillwig.com/2011/10/infrequent-flyer-114-airlines-are-businesses%e2%80%a6-trying-to-make-money/comment-page-1/#comment-217
Fri, 28 Oct 2011 18:58:15 +0000http://www.mikehillwig.com/?p=2485#comment-217I’m the “Drew” mentioned. I only feel that we don’t pay enough taxes on the tickets because the taxes that we do pay do not cover the costs. Now, I’m no fan of the TSA, but if the TSA budget is $X billion dollars, the taxes collected for security should be $X billion dollars plus 10% to allow for growth and improvements.

If it costs the county $X million a year to run an airport, then the tax/rent should be equal to ((Airport running costs)/ arrivals + departures). This would have the additional benefit of making the short hops less cost effective than long ones.

I am all for major funding of Amtrak, as Mike already knows. To make the claim that Amtrak “should just run like a business” ignores the fact that 95% of the passenger rail infrastructure has been ripped out in this country. The airlines didn’t get their start by having to fully fund every airport they wanted to land at, and we shouldn’t expect Amtrak to be able to fully fund every new line they want to run.

As for airlines cramming more people into economy…. I’m 5’10” 165lbs. There is no excuse at all for a seat on a 737 or A340 to not fit me or my legs comfortably. Because of these awful seat conditions, I’ve been using Amtrak more and more and just budgeting it into my schedule. I don’t live on the NEC like Mr. Mike does. All of my trains (both of them) are slow speed.

]]>Comment on Infrequent Flyer 1/14: Airlines are Businesses… Trying to Make Money by Bill Catteyhttp://blog.mikehillwig.com/2011/10/infrequent-flyer-114-airlines-are-businesses%e2%80%a6-trying-to-make-money/comment-page-1/#comment-214
Fri, 28 Oct 2011 15:16:06 +0000http://www.mikehillwig.com/?p=2485#comment-214What you say is true. However, I would suggest considering two other ideas:

1. Is it possible to have airline workflows and resources tailored to make the best of a challenging situation? I would suggest there are many opportunities to make air travel more pleasant at no additional cost. Examples: optimize boarding by boarding window seatted passengers before aisle seat ones. Apparently the research shows this makes boarding much faster and results in less aisle congestion. How about a DIS-incentive to clog the aisles with all your travel luggage into that overstuffed carry-on you stuff into an overhead bin several rows away from your seat because your bin is already full? How about timely and accurate communication of various flight delays, and well tested and optimized contingency plans for the inevitable problems?

2. Rail travel could be vastly superior if it was funded on a more near equal footing with air travel. At the present time, taxes pay for significant airline infrastructure, but the political rhetoric is that it is rail travel that needs to be weaned off federal subsidy. Airports, air traffic control, and the interstate highway system are not subsidy, but train tracks to rural, unpopular, or unprofitable destinations is? I believe they both are, and that’s fine.

The optimal solution will be when a one hour flight between Boston and Philadelphia takes LESS time, not more time than the six hour train ride between those same destinations. Then you have real competition, and the profit model comes from customers embracing the service, rather than profits squeezed from service cut-backs and “yield management”.

]]>Comment on Leaving it to the Professionals by Darciehttp://blog.mikehillwig.com/2010/06/leaving-it-to-the-professionals/comment-page-1/#comment-88
Thu, 01 Jul 2010 00:02:01 +0000http://www.mikehillwig.com/?p=2434#comment-88Good for you!!! You should be excited!
]]>Comment on Car Shopping by Joannehttp://blog.mikehillwig.com/2010/06/car-shopping/comment-page-1/#comment-83
Wed, 09 Jun 2010 21:28:11 +0000http://www.mikehillwig.com/?p=2428#comment-83It’s be quite a while since I went on your website. You adopted another pug? Great. Male or Female. How’s reggie adjusted to his new playmate?
Have a Nice day.
]]>Comment on Two Weeks by Tweets that mention mikehillwig.com » Blog Archive » Two Weeks -- Topsy.comhttp://blog.mikehillwig.com/2010/04/two-weeks/comment-page-1/#comment-80
Mon, 12 Apr 2010 13:49:23 +0000http://www.mikehillwig.com/2010/04/two-weeks/#comment-80[…] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Mike Hillwig. Mike Hillwig said: New blog entry! Two Weeks http://bit.ly/9Y70TD #fb […]
]]>Comment on Two Weeks by Darciehttp://blog.mikehillwig.com/2010/04/two-weeks/comment-page-1/#comment-77
Sat, 03 Apr 2010 15:27:44 +0000http://www.mikehillwig.com/2010/04/two-weeks/#comment-77I agree, looking great!!! I also can’t wait for the housewarming. I am so glad we made the “family short list”, and got invited 🙂 And, go with the Tiffany Blue. It’s what you wanted in the first place.
]]>Comment on Two Weeks by Brendahttp://blog.mikehillwig.com/2010/04/two-weeks/comment-page-1/#comment-76
Sat, 03 Apr 2010 14:28:07 +0000http://www.mikehillwig.com/2010/04/two-weeks/#comment-76Looks awesome. Im so happy I was on the short list and saw it the day you closed. Cant wait for the warming. Kisses to my Reggie man.
]]>Comment on Closing Time by Brendahttp://blog.mikehillwig.com/2010/02/closing-time/comment-page-1/#comment-71
Fri, 26 Feb 2010 02:24:31 +0000http://www.mikehillwig.com/?p=2423#comment-71My kids are excited too, it means we get Reggie!
]]>Comment on House Hunting by Sam B Lhttp://blog.mikehillwig.com/2010/01/house-hunting/comment-page-1/#comment-63
Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:24:36 +0000http://www.mikehillwig.com/?p=2413#comment-63Is it bad that I laughed at Brent’s comment?
]]>Comment on House Hunting by Brent Ozarhttp://blog.mikehillwig.com/2010/01/house-hunting/comment-page-1/#comment-62
Thu, 28 Jan 2010 21:08:31 +0000http://www.mikehillwig.com/?p=2413#comment-62Congrats, but be careful in that bra factory conversion. You want to make sure the floors have the proper support. Underwire construction is best. (Ha ha ho ho…)
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